Liam Neeson Played A Villain In A Beloved '80s Crime Thriller Series

Liam Neeson might be a household name now, but the inception of his career can be traced back to low-budget film/television titles and modest stage productions. In fact, filmmaker John Boorman ("Point Blank," "Deliverance") noticed Neeson's potential when he was on stage for "Of Mice and Men," which led to his film debut in the 1981 Arthurian saga, "Excalibur." Sure enough, "Excalibur" opened many doors for Neeson, and he starred in a handful of projects over the years, including 1986's "The Mission."

In that film, Neeson played a Catholic missionary in 18th-century South America alongside Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, and this small yet impactful role altered the trajectory of Neeson's acting career. You see, De Niro introduced Neeson to an American casting director while they were filming together, which allowed the latter to acquire a work visa in the U.S. and work his way up the ranks. The television role that facilitated this was "Miami Vice," where Neeson plays Sean Carroon, an IRA terrorist masquerading as a pacifist in the episode "When Irish Eyes Are Crying."

Neeson is not the only Hollywood A-lister who made a splash with an episodic appearance in "Miami Vice." Before his breakout performance in "Moonlighting," Bruce Willis also played a villain in one of the show's earlier episodes, cementing his knack for big, dramatic performances. In a similar vein, Neeson's guest role in this crime drama series highlights his startling screen presence, as his Sean Carroon is immediately compelling despite coming off as low-key and subtle. It's no surprise that the usually level-headed detective Gina (Saundra Santiago) is initially unable to clock Sean's duplicitous nature, falling head over heels for his sweet, sensitive facade. Overall, it's a great episode that showcases Neeson's talents in his pre-superstardom era while also featuring a decently crafted storyline that references The Troubles (a conflict covered in depth in the recent FX series "Say Nothing").

Without further ado, let's learn more about Sean Caroon as an episodic villain in "Miami Vice."

Spoilers for "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" are to follow.

In the episode, Sean meets Gina during a fundraiser for Northern Irish children, where the former organizes the event while posing as a pacifist. A masked gunman bursts in out of the blue and threatens Sean with the intention to shoot him. However, Gina steps in and orders the masked stranger to drop his gun, but his refusal forces her to shoot him. When the shooter's prints are run at the Organized Crime Bureau, they are able to find nothing: no name, ID, or weapon serial number. While everyone is scrambling to solve this bizarre case, Sean invites Gina for lunch near the beach as a thank you for saving his life. This is when he surreptitiously reels her in, thanks to a combination of suave smooth-talking and a light blue shirtless vest-jacket that exemplifies the peak of menswear fashion that "Miami Vice" has come to popularize over the decades.

But maintaining an illusion of sincerity for too long is impossible for even the most trained operatives, as detectives Crockett (Don Johnson) and Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) work together with Gina to get to the bottom of this rapidly escalating case. After the trio discover Sean's true identity and objective, Gina confronts him on the roof, gun in hand, tearfully pleading with him not to go through with his nefarious plan. This is when Gina realizes the extent of his betrayal: Sean looks at her with an amused scoff, looking unmoved by her pained and conflicted expression.

Although this climactic scene plays out in the most melodramatic fashion (with Patti LaBelle and Bill Champlin's "The Last Unbroken Heart" blaring in the background), Neeson's measured performance lends gravitas to this heartbreaking moment and what is about to happen next. Just when Sean thinks he can get away with it, Gina and Crockett shoot him, causing him to fall to his death. A distressed Gina weeps, flanked by Crockett and Tubbs, who do their best to console her. 

Although formulaic and predictable, "When Irish Eyes Are Crying" is definitely worth checking out, especially if you enjoy Liam Neeson and the sleek, maximalist aesthetic "Miami Vice" brought to network television.